


Protection (Harry Potter x Tom Riddle)

by ForSureTooOldForThis



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: BDSM, Bad Albus Dumbledore, Dom/sub, Good Tom Riddle, Light BDSM, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Spanking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:49:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 12
Words: 16,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28390437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForSureTooOldForThis/pseuds/ForSureTooOldForThis
Summary: Harry does not stop Tom from coming back in the Chamber of Secrets. Tom comes with new ideas about how to run the Wizarding world and these ideas appeal to Harry and his friends. As Tom and Harry grow closer, he realizes just how much Dumbledore has ruined his life and seeks to bring an end to him.18+ only. Mature, contains BDSM themes and Dom/Sub themes with Dom Tom and Sub Harry but starts out very slow.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Tom Riddle, Harry Potter/Tom Riddle | Voldemort
Comments: 14
Kudos: 260





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Also posted on Wattpad.

Harry knew that Voldemort was an evil person. But this person, Tom, standing before him in the chamber, was not like the Voldemort he remembered. He seemed softer, gentler. He said he didn't want Ginny to die. What he wanted was to come back and be able to instill his values onto the Wizarding World.

"Values?" Harry cried, holding Ginny. "You think muggleborns are worthless! You're like Draco!"

Tom took a step closer to Harry and knelt. "You are confused. I do not think muggleborns are worthless. I believe that in order to truly succeed in the wizarding world, they need to be protected and they need to be taught the ways of the Wizarding world. You are not muggleborn but your early life was very similar to one. Imagine if you'd been protected from your aunt and uncle? Imagine if you'd been taught about magic all your life. It would all come so easily to you now." Harry had to admit that his transition into the wizarding world had not been an easy one.

"That's not what Voldemort stood for!" He argued back, reminding himself of the horrors he'd seen only last year.

Tom smiled softly. "The older version of myself got lost in the pursuit of power. And he became greedy, much like Dumbledore, willing to do or say anything to maintain power."

"Dumbledore isn't like Voldemort!"

"Isn't he? He knew about your treatment at the Dursley's and yet he didn't protect you. You may not want to believe this, Harry, but he even knew the Voldemort wanted to kill your parents and he didn't protect them. He did everything he could to try and make the plan he wanted to come true. He is not the man you think he is." Harry was shocked. If that were true, than Tom was certainly right that Dumbledore was not the man he believed.

"Why should I believe you?"

"You shouldn't," Tom explained. "You should never blindly believe anything. But I believe that if you ask Dumbledore, he will tell you the truth. I also believe that you will become my greatest ally. You can feel it too, I'm sure. As my human body grows stronger, you can feel the connection to me." Was that the pull Harry was feeling? A seemingly desire to be closer to the man.

Harry shook his head. "I'll never follow you if Ginny dies."

Tom nodded. "Then she won't." He moved even closer to them and began murmuring incantations that Harry did not understand. But Ginny's breathing grew stronger. "She will need to be taken to the infirmary. And you will need to tell Dumbledore that Tom Riddle has returned. You will tell him nothing else of our conversation, apart from what I told you about your parents. If you do, I will consider it a betrayal. Go now, Harry, learn about the truth. I will be in contact later. Go." With that, Harry stood and began running with Ginny, though he looked back at the other boy several times. 

By the time he made it back to where Ron was, Ron had gathered several professor's who cleared the rocks. They were all swiftly taken to the infirmary and the Chamber was to be searched. Harry warned them of the basilisk and of Tom. Once in the infirmary, Harry was going to request to speak to Dumbledore, but he found Dumbledore waiting to speak to him. They had time to talk while Madam Pomfrey cared for Ginny. She was the priority. Harry had nothing but a few scrapes. Harry told Dumbledore about Tom's return, keeping it as brief as possible.

"Harry, if Tom has returned, I'm afraid that brings a great deal of uncertainty. I'm afraid this is not at all part of the projected plan," Dumbledore told him. Harry caught his use of the world 'plan', just as Tom had said.

"Sir, I need to ask you something," Harry said. "About something Tom said to me. Is it true that you knew Voldemort wanted to kill my parents? Did you know it was going to happen?" A long silence elapsed and Dumbledore looked at Harry with a grave expression. Finally he said,

"Yes." Harry's heart sank. "But you must understand, it was foretold that your life would become very important in defeating Voldemort."

"And, in order for that to happen," Harry asked slowly. "My parents had to die?" Harry fought hard to control the rage he was feeling. Tom was right. Dumbledore had planned his parents death.

"Yes," Dumbledore responded. "One day, all will be clear, Harry. But for now, you should rest. You've had quite a day and I have much work to see to." Harry nodded and away Dumbledore went. It was only then that Harry allowed tears to fall from his eyes. He still wasn't sure Tom could be trusted but he knew he wanted to hear more from him. He also felt a kind of strange sadness now that they were apart.

Madam Pomfrey saw to Harry's scrapes and then he was released from her care. All of the Weasley's and Hermione were gathered around Ginny. They'd even allowed Molly and Arthur to come visit her. They all thanked Harry, which made him blush profusely. He told them he couldn't have done it without Ron and neither of them could have done it without Hermione, who had only been awoken today. Harry visited with them all for awhile and had dinner with Ron and Hermione in the Great Hall, where Harry was excited to see Hagrid had now been released from Azkaban. After dinner, he retired early to his dorms, wondering about when Tom would try to see him. He soon received an owl that read:

The Forbidden Forest, 9pm. Use your cloak.

Harry wondered how Tom knew about his cloak and everything else, but he did as he was told and snuck away that evening to see Tom. He was barely through the edge of the forest, near Hagrid's when Tom appeared.

"You know, if you want me to be on your side, you probably shouldn't have us meet in a forest full of things that want to kill me."

Tom chuckled. "Nothing in this forest would dare harm you, now that they know you're with me."

"I am not with you," Harry argued.

"You will be. I trust you spoke to Dumbledore?" 

Harry nodded. "But how did you know that?"

"Ah, you see, Ginny has played a valuable role in helping me to gather information. With her help, as well as the help of Draco Malfoy, I gathered much needed information that was lost to my younger form."

"Draco Malfoy? That git? You probably can't believe a word out of his mouth."

Tom smirked. "Harry, he is not the 'git' you may believe him to be. He has behaved foully to you and your friends and I will see to it that his misbehavior is dealt with. At any rate, everything I gathered through him either has or will be now verified to the best of my ability." Harry wasn't sure he believed that but he had more questions that needed answered,

"How do I trust that you aren't going to kill me just like you wanted to when you were older?"

"Harry, as I said, my older form turned mad essentially. I will not follow his path again. Also, and I'm sure Dumbledore would wish to hide this from you, but he wanted to kill you because of a prophecy that stated that neither of you could live while the other survived. However, my return has made that prophecy void and I believe a new one has taken its place. A prophecy I obtained tonight."

"And that prophecy? Does it want me dead too?"

"Quite the contrary, Harry. We will work together. You see, Harry, you and I are soulmates."


	2. Chapter 2

Tom left Harry reeling that night, his thoughts swarming with all the information he'd learned. Most of all, that Harry and Tom were soulmates. He couldn't believe it--he didn't want to believe it. But, he couldn't deny the pull he felt. Almost nearly as surprising, Tom wanted Harry to trust Draco and Snape. The two people he had the most issues with. Not only that, Harry was expected to report to Snape the next evening for lessons in Occlumency--shielding his mind so his thoughts would be safe from Dumbledore.

The whole next day, that's all he thought of, apart from being shocked that Draco came up to the three of them, himself, Ron, and Hermione, and apologized for ever being rude to them. They were all in shock. The only one who managed to say anything was Hermione, who let out,

"Erm, thanks, Draco." Draco nodded and scurried off.

"Can you believe that?" Ron asked. "Maybe he's lost his mind?"

"Or maybe he's had a change of heart, Ronald," Hermione said. Harry nodded, knowing this was Tom's doing. That evening after classes, he made his way to Snape's office. He stood there for several minutes, trying to work up the courage to enter. Surely, he was insane going through with this. Still, he finally knocked on the door.

"Come in," he heard. He slowly entered to find Snape sat at his desk.

"Hello, sir," Harry replied, attempting to be as polite as possible.

Snape nodded. "Sit. I have been instructed by the Dark Lord to teach you in the protection of your mind. Right now, Dumbledore could pluck from you any memory he wanted. In these lessons, I will attempt to penetrate your mind and you will attempt you stop me."

"Attempt to stop you? Sir, how do I do that?" Harry asked.

"You must focus. Attempt to put a shield around your thoughts so that I cannot get in. If I am already in your mind, attempt to expunge me. Legitimens." Without warning, Harry felt his mind being assaulted. Memories of his childhood were being dug up. It was painful and uncomfortable and felt like a grave intrusion. After several seconds, he began to be able to focus and tried to pull Snape out. After sever attempts, it worked.

"Weak," was Snape's response as the room came back into focus. "You must attempt to block me from the start." Snape spent hours attacking Harry's mind. He improved, but not by a lot. By the end of it, he felt completely drained. He went straight to bed but was forced out by another note from Tom. This time, they met in the middle of a corridor, where he showed Harry how to get into the Room of Requirement, a secret room that changed to suit the needs of the person entering. At that moment, it was a simple room with a couch for them to sit and talk.

"How was your first lesson?" Tom asked.

"Horrible. Exhausting," Harry admitted. "I'm really tired now."

"That's understandable. But were you able to pull him out of your mind?"

"Yes, but not easily."

"Harry, good job. It should not be easy. Many people would have achieved nothing at all in their first lesson. You will get better soon."

"Really?" Harry asked, surprised he was being complimented. "Snape didn't make it seem that way."

"Snape is pushing you. Until you are very skilled in Occlumency, you pose a great threat to us."

"What about Draco? and Ginny?"

"Draco is already trained in Occlumency and Ginny will begin her own training shortly. You will have another lesson tomorrow and everyday until you are fully secured."

"Great," Harry muttered.

"But we have other things to discuss. I will be returning to Hogwarts tomorrow, as a student. I will be a transfer student From Durmstrang. As such, I will be sorted privately, in Dumbledore's office."

"Won't he know it's you? He's met you before." Harry asked, scared.

"I will wear a glamour. I will still look very similar to myself but different enough that I will pass through. Conveniently, there was a transfer student set to start, who I have now diverted and will take their place."

"Did you murder someone?" Harry asked, his mouth suddenly very dry.

"No. He has simply decided to pursue an at-home education, while I take his place here." That was good but Harry had come to the realization of just how possible it was that Tom could murder anyone at any time. "Harry, look at me." Hesitantly, he made eye contact with the other boy. "Harry, yes, I use the Dark Arts. But not without reason and never unless necessary. I am not some senseless killer. And you're precious Dumbledore is no stranger to the Dark Arts."

"He's not my Dumbledore," Harry quipped back without thought.

Tom smirked. "Good. Now that I'm to be a student, we will be in frequent contact. I will be watching you and I expect you to carry yourself as a good and faithful follower to me. That includes excellent grades. I've been informed by Snape on the areas you're lacking in and you and I will will work to bring those up."

"And if I don't?" Harry challenged.

"You will," he replied simply.

"And if I don't want to listen to you?" Tom arched a brow and leaned in close to Harry, close enough that Harry could feel Tom's breath.

"You will," he repeated. "And if you do not, you will be punished."

"Punished?" Harry breathed. "H-how?" All sorts of dark torture ran through his mind.

"Nothing nearly as barbaric as I'm sure you're imagining," Tom assured. "I believe a trip or two over my knee would be more than sufficient in quelling any misbehavior." Harry swallowed hard as he realized what that meant. No, absolutely not, he thought. That would be completely humiliating and he would avoid it at all costs. "Now that we have that sorted, we should discuss some other things. First, I will be recruiting at Hogwarts. Usually without need for your input. Your friends, however, will be a different story. I will require your assistance."

"What would I do?"

"You will help nudge them to befriend me. I will reveal myself to them, in time, and it will be important for them to understand that I have your support."

"Will they need to be trained in Occlumency?"

"Some of them. Most definitely Hermione and Ron. Others, simple secrecy spells will suffice as I don't plan on keeping them particularly involved while they’re in school. But it would be good for all of my followers to learn at least basic Occlumency. Snape will have his hands full with lessons for the foreseeable future." 

"Won't that be suspicious?"

"Hardly. Most I will have him train under the guise of detentions. Others, I will have him train in masses during holiday breaks."

Harry nodded. "What is your name going to be? As a student?"

"Tom. Tom Weatherford. Half-blood. Now, that's enough talk for one night. Off to bed."

"Can we meet again tomorrow?" Harry didn't like the idea of not knowing the next time he'd see Tom.

"Yes, come directly after your session with Snape."

And so Harry went back to his dorm. Hermione and Ron were a little suspicious but not overly. They were used to his wanderings. He quickly went to bed. The next morning, the school was buzzing at breakfast about a new student joining them.

"What house do you think he'll be in?" Ron asked.

"Probably Slytherin," Harry guessed.

"Erg, that would be our luck," Ron complained. "I hope he's a Gryffindor, we could use another guy around."

"I hear he's older," Hermione said. "I heard Lavender saying he's a fourth year. I don't know how he'll catch up this far into the year. Wait, is that him?" All eyes turned to a student entering the Great Hall. Sure enough, it was Tom. He was slightly shorter and face was a bit plainer and less defined, but that was him. In Gryffindor robes. He immediately made eyes with Harry and came over.

"Hey, Harry, right? Mind if I sit?"

"Uh, yeah sure," he said as Tom sat down. Hermione and Ron both gave Harry a look. Hermione introduced herself,

"Hello, I'm Hermione Granger. You must be the new student?"

"Yes, Tom Weatherford. Nice to meet you."

"Pleasure. How is it that you know Harry?"

"Well, everyone knows Harry, don't they?" Tom joked. "But we met once while shopping in Diagon Alley, last year I believe. I never thought we'd go to the same school, though. Oh, and you are?" He asked of Ron.

"Ron," he responded, with a mouthful. "So you're from Durmstrang, right? Scary place, isn't it?"

Hermione hit Ron. "Ron, don't be rude."

Tom laughed. "No, he's right. Hogwarts is a welcome change..." Harry listened in awe as his friends conversed so easily with Tom. It felt natural and normal, as if they were made to be friends.

And friends they were. Right from the start, Tom started spending most of his time with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They didn't have classes together but they ate meals together and spent time together in the common room after classes. Tom even fit in with his other friends like Fred and George. He was busy with schoolwork but he made sure to help Harry and Ron both and Hermione seemed relieved to have someone else around who cared about school. After hanging out in the common room, they'd all go to dinner together. After dinner, Harry went to his lessons with Snape and then to see Tom right after. Some nights they had serious things to discuss, like what Dumbledore was up to or who Tom was recruiting. But other nights they just enjoyed each others company for an hour or two, sometimes playing wizarding games. After a few weeks, Harry's lessons were able to cease. He could keep his mind guarded all the time if needed. Then, they had even more time to spend with Ron and Hermione in the evenings. Tom was fitting right in with them.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks to anyone reading! Just a warning, it’s a pretty slow start. All the good and sexy stuff won’t come for awhile. But I hope you all enjoy!

The end of the school year came quick, and with it came Harry's fear of spending a summer back with the Dursley's. Tom told him that in order to get away from the Dursley's he would need to go around Dumbledore, who would never normally allow it. Harry sent an owl to Molly Weasley personally, asking her if she could stay with them for the summer, if the Dursley's allowed it. Molly and Arthur went and visited the Dursley's and got their written permission for Harry to stay with them, not just for the summer, but indefinitely. They signed over guardianship to Molly and Arthur. All before Dumbledore got wind. The first time he heard of it was when Molly and Arthur notified the school of the changes. It was then that Dumbledore called Harry to his office.

"Harry," he said. "I must implore you to reconsider your stay with the Weasley's. They cannot protect you in the way the Dursley's home protects you. There is magic there left from your mothers love, that protects you."

"Professor, I understand, but Tom Riddle has shown no interest in killing me."

"That could change."

"Which is why the Weasley's have put protections on their home. And if he tries to attack me or it seems like he will, I'll go back."

"Harry, I can see your mind is made but please, give it all some thought."

"Headmaster, I have been giving it thought and that thought has left me sour." The more Harry thought about the years he'd spent with the Dursley's and his dead parents, the angrier he grew with Dumbledore.

"I see," Dumbledore responded. "I can see I have lost your faith. Hopefully in time, I may gain it back. For now, I wish you a good summer."

That was a week before the end of the term. Harry was thrilled he would get to live with the Weasley's but he was sad it meant a summer away from Tom. Tom would be going to his home for the summer and wouldn't be coming to Weasley's until Hermione came towards the end of the summer. It also meant Harry would be away from Tom during a pivotal act--the breaking into Azkaban. Tom told Harry all about how his parents had close friends: Sirius, Remus, and Peter. And how Peter gave away the location of his parents to Voldemort, but that Sirius Black was made to take the fall and has been imprisoned ever since. Sirius is Harry's godfather. He wanted him free. Tom told Harry he had plans to prove to all the world that Sirius was innocent but in the meantime, he would free Sirius from Azkaban and recruit him. He would also be freeing others who had supported him but Harry made it clear he wanted any senseless killers left in Azkaban, and Tom had agreed. Still, Harry wanted to be there. He wanted to see for himself and also protect Tom. But that wasn't an option that either circumstance or Tom would allow.

They all soon went their separate ways for the summer, with the exception of Harry being able to go with Ron. Thus began the best summer of Harry's life. Yes, he missed Tom, but they wrote to each other constantly. But he and Ron spent the whole summer relaxing, helping Molly around the house, playing games, and practicing Quidditch with Fred, George, and Ginny. It was absolutely amazing. Getting away from all the stress of the Dursley's made Harry feel like a new person.

The break in of Azkaban went off without a hitch. Harry saw in the news of everyone who had been freed, mostly low level Death Eaters, with the exception of Sirius Black. Harry couldn't ask questions via owl or it could draw suspicion but he received word from Tom that day that everything was well. It was only a couple weeks later that Tom and Hermione showed up to the Burrow. When Tom arrived, Harry engulfed him in a hug but quickly pulled away, embarrassed as the others stared at him. He then hugged Hermione lightly. His feelings for Tom were strong but it was odd. They hadn't even kissed yet.

It was that night, the night before Harry's birthday, that Tom decided to tell the others about who he was. He gathered Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny into a room to discuss something 'private' after the parents had gone to bed. He used a silencing charm to protect Ron's room.

"Tom! You could get in trouble for using magic out of school!" Hermione scolded.

"Don't worry, I'm not Traceable," Tom explained.

"Wicked," Fred and George responded. 

"Now, I'm sure you're all wondering what I've got to tell you. It's important that you understand that Harry and Ginny already know and support me."

"I think I know," Hermione said. "You're Tom Riddle." There were gasps from everyone in the room, apart from Tom, who smiled.

"You really are quite clever," he responded and dropped his glamour's, becoming the handsome boy that Harry remembered. "I'm Tom Riddle."

"Harry," Ron wailed, seemingly terrified now. "What does he mean you and Ginny support him? Are you under a spell?"

"No, Ron," Harry explained. "I really support him and bringing Dumbledore's power over education and the wizarding world to an end." He then explained to his friends about his parents, and the Dursley's, and Sirius.

"Oh Harry," Hermione said softly. "You should have told us sooner." He then also explained that what Tom really stood for was helping muggleborns become part of the wizarding world earlier and protecting them from muggles who would harm them or shun their magic.

"Is all that true, Tom?" Fred asked.

"It is. I have no interest in being what I became before. I want a world where muggleborns are safe and protected and all magic is protected. I don't want children like Harry, and much worse, to exist. They shouldn't have to go through that."

"If Harry is with you, we're with you," Fred said.

"Couldn't agree more," said George. Hermione and Ron both agreed.

"Good. I have rings for you all." Tom pulled out a black box from his cloak, filled with black rings and two that were black but with green emeralds in the center. He put on one of the emerald rings. He presented the other to Harry and he held it in his hand as Tom spoke. "These rings act as a symbol of your devotion but also as a way to communicate. Myself and Harry can use these to call all of you or a specific one of you to us. Your rings can be used to call myself or Harry." As he handed out the rings, he watched as they all slipped them onto the ring finger of their right hand. But Tom's was on his left ring finger. That's where Harry slid his on.

"What about our parents?" Ron asked. "How will they ever support you?"

"With time. I have plans to expose Dumbledore in the year to come and that will likely lose him many supporters. You will all need to be trained in Occlumency this year by Snape. I will alert you all privately on when and how that will take place. For now, I will use a charm that closes this memory off to anyone who would go looking." Soon after this, they all went to bed. But Tom and Harry stayed up talking for awhile, sitting on Harry's bed.

"What's Sirius like?" Harry asked.

"High-spirited but quick thinking. I think you'll quite like him. He clearly cares greatly for you. He and his friend, Remus, are going to be powerful allies."

"So they've joined us? Where are they?"

"Yes. And currently they are at the Riddle Manor, which I've spent the summer remodeling. It's quite a sight to see now. Remus will actually be returning with us to Hogwarts soon, though."

"Really? Why?"

"Dumbledore has brought him on to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. He probably thinks having you get close to someone from your past will win him your favor again."

"Little does he know," Harry commented. A long silence elapsed. "You put the ring on your left finger," Harry noted.

Tom nodded. "To show my devotion."

"To who?" Harry breathed, moving closer to Tom on the bed.

"I think you know the answer to that," Tom replied. He took Harry's face into his head and brought him closer until their lips touched in a warm symphony that left Harry's head spinning. As he pulled away, he murmured, "To you, my love. To you. Now why did you choose your left hand when the others did not?"

Harry blushed. "I-well-cause, well you did and I wanted to show that, you know, I'm with you."

Tom smirked. "Good boy. Now go to sleep. And Happy Birthday, Harry."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Years! Enjoy!

Harry's birthday was the best birthday he'd ever had. He got to spend it amongst friends. And he received presents and a cake. The most monumental gift he received was from Tom. It was was an infinity pendant necklace with emeralds encased in the symbol.

"Great now he's basically a Slytherin!" Fred commented as Harry slid it on.

"It's great, Tom, thank you," Harry murmured.

"And extravagant," Molly fretted. "I hope you discussed this with your parents."

"My Mum helped me pick it out and don't worry, the emeralds are fake," he assured Molly but then winked at Harry where she couldn't see.

"Good, good," Molly said.

After his birthday, it wasn't long till they were back on the train. Remus joined Harry, Tom, Hermione, and Ron in their compartment. Remus was tall and middle aged, with light brown hair that seemed as unruly as Harry's. His face was scarred, which Tom had told Harry was from a werewolf attack that had left him a werewolf. Harry was shy, but also eager to get to know him.

"You knew my parents?" Harry asked.

Remus nodded. "Very well. James, Sirius, and I were the best of friends that friends could be. Not unlike your group here. He was a prankster, though not as afflicted with that gene as Sirius was. Children at heart."

"What have you been doing? What was your job before being a professor?"

Remus shuffled awkwardly. "I'm afraid I wasn't doing much of anything. Mostly hiding away, to protect others."

"But," Tom interjected. "He need not worry about that now. Snape will provide him with a potion that will help greatly with the...symptoms. And Snape is constantly working to improve it." It was then that Draco appeared at the compartment.

"Can I join?" He asked. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared in shock. 

"Of course, Draco," Tom responded. "How was your summer?" Draco came to sit next to Remus.

"It was okay. Boring. Mum and Dad spent most of it traveling. How about you guys?" Slowly, they all discussed their summers and warmed up a bit to Draco, though it would take more than one train ride to convince Harry that he and Draco could get along. He did notice that Draco and Remus both had black rings.

Partway through the trip, the train came to a stop. A cold chill spread through the train. "What's happening?" Ron asked.

"Dementors," Remus breathed.

"What are those?" Harry asked.

"They're dark creatures that guard Azkaban," Tom explained. "They're likely searching for Sirius. Everyone stay calm. They can make you feel very bad, so brace yourselves." It was then that a dark cloaked figure floated by. Another then came up to their compartment, opening the door. It seemed to make its way directly to Harry. Harry suddenly felt very unhappy, as if the world was nothing but sadness. Suddenly he heard screaming and then in his mind he saw a woman, screaming and a dark figure.

"Expecto Patronum," he heard Tom and Remus shout. He felt a bright light and then the world went dark. Moments later, he awoke to himself being propped up in a seat by Tom. Everyone was watching him.

"W-what happened?" Harry asked.

"The dementors effect you badly, Harry," Tom explained.

"I-I heard screaming. From a woman," Harry explained and noticed a sad expression come across Tom's face.

"There was no woman, Harry," Hermione answered.

"Here," Remus said and offered him a piece of chocolate. "Eat that, it'll help you feel better."

"Why would the Ministry think that Sirius would be found here?" Hermione asked.

"Likely because of me," Remus admitted. "Though it's not just Sirius they’re worried about. There's never been a break out in Azkaban before. The Ministry is terrified of what that could mean."

"They'll know soon enough," Tom said. "Harry, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," he responded, now feeling very lame that he passed out.

There were no other interruptions to their evening, and Harry felt glad to be back at Hogwarts with all his friends. That night, Tom and Harry met in the Room of Requirement for the first time in many months. This time, Harry felt comfortable enough to curl up on the couch and allow Tom to hold him while they talked. It felt beyond nice. 

"So, Tom, how are you going to prove Sirius is innocent?"

"Simple, by revealing that Peter Pettigrew is still alive."

"But how? Where is he?"

"Don't worry about that now. It needs to happen at the right moment, with lots of people around. But soon, love. Soon. First, I need to get the Marauder's Map from Fred and George."

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"A map created by James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter. It shows Hogwarts and everyone in it. But Fred and George seem to have snatched it from Filch."

"Wait," Harry said, slowly realizing the connection. "Does that mean Peter is in Hogwarts?"

"Yes but I can assure you he is of no threat to you right now. And he will be revealed soon." Harry trusted Tom, so he nodded and relaxed into him. Other thoughts began to creep.

"Tom, can I hear the prophecy about us?"

"Someday soon, love. It's kept at my Manor. Once Dumbledore is out of the way and I have the trust of the Weasley's, I will take you there. One day, we'll live there together." Harry blushed at the thought. His friends didn't even know he was gay.

"Should I tell my friends we're together?" Harry asked.

"I'll leave that to you. Though I think you'll find that they already know."

Harry determined it was best that his friends know. He knew they would be understanding. It just made him nervous because it just seemed like yet another thing that made him different. But one day after class, when he was with Ron and Hermione, in one of the rare moment without Tom, he decided to break the news.

"Guys, I've got something to tell you."

"What is it Harry?" Hermione asked, seeming concerned. 

"It's about me and Tom. And we'll it's not a big deal but you should know...that I'm gay. And Tom and I are together." Suddenly, they were both grinning.

"Well it's about time," Ron exclaimed. "We were starting to think you'd never say anything!"

"You knew?" Harry asked, shocked.

"Of course," Hermione responded. "We're your best friends. And you're both all over each other. Plus, the rings, and the necklace, which you wear constantly now. Come on, Harry."

"I guess it was a bit obvious," Harry admitted with a smile. "Look, will you guys do me a favor and um, spread the news? I'd rather not have to tell everyone."

"Oh we will but I think just about everyone already knows," Ron admitted.

"Great," Harry muttered. At least that was one less thing to hide.


	5. Chapter 5

As the year got well under way, Harry grew closer to Remus, who had offered to teach him the spell to defend against dementors. During his lessons, Harry learned that Remus was a very level-headed guy, who seemed to care a great bit about him. He also enjoyed hearing stories about his Mum and Dad. It seemed like they all had a great friendship.

He was also growing closer to Draco. Harry didn't ever see them being the best of pals, but he seemed to be coming around on his thoughts about muggleborns and he was now tolerable. Harry also noticed that all around the school, more black rings were turning up on people's fingers. Harry didn't get particularly involved in any of this, more than content to simply hear the highlights from Tom.

Harry was also doing quite well with Quidditch. The only area of his life that was struggling his studies. It was nearly time for the end of the midterm when this finally came to a head. He'd been putting off studying in favor of his friends and on this particular night, Tom had ordered him to go to the library, and spend the evening studying. And while he had made his way to the library, he was quickly diverted by a group playing Quidditch for fun. He felt slightly guilty but abandoned his studies for the fun of it. This was all well and good until, upon finishing a match, he spotted Tom waiting for him on the ground. He wasn't sure how long he'd been standing there but he was sure this wasn't good. As he went over to Tom, Tom spoke only a short sentence,

"Room of Requirement, now." Swallowing hard, Harry quickly said goodbye to his friends and followed Tom. They said nothing during the walk. Harry knew he was doomed. Once in the room, Tom ordered, "Sit." Harry did so quickly.

"Tom, I-"

"Hush," Tom said sternly. "Where did I tell you to go tonight, Harry?"

"The library. Tom, I-" Tom held up a hand, silencing him once again.

"Yes, I did. And when I discovered you weren't there and just exactly where you were, I took a visit to Professor Snape's office, to see just how bad the situation is with your grades. Harry, you are close to failing nearly all of your classes. And I believe I made it very clear to you that your studies were to remain a top priority. Correct?"

"Yes," Harry responded, hanging his head, very upset to know he had disappointed Tom. All those nights with his friends now seemed worthless and irresponsible.

"So, what is it you want to say?"

"I'm sorry," Harry murmured.

Tom sighed. "Harry, look at me." Harry shook his head. "Harry." That got Harry's attention and his eyes met Tom. The disappointment in his eyes was enough that Harry was sure it might kill him. "You know I'm going to punish you, don't you?" Harry's eyes snapped to the ground once more. He nodded, shamefully. This was just as awful and embarrassing as he'd imagined it would be. Tom came to sit next to him. "Are you going to get over my knee willingly or shall I put you there?" Harry stayed perfectly still. "Fine then." Harry was suddenly grabbed and brought over Tom's knees. He felt like a child. His clock was lifted and Tom began pulling at his pants.

"Tom, please, no," Harry pleaded. "Leave my pants alone."

"Harry, hush. Be a good boy and take your punishment in stride. Be good for me. Can you do that?" 

Harry nodded into the couch, feeling tears already welling up. Tom pulled away his pants and underwear and began the assault on his bottom. Harry was crying in seconds. Not so much from the pain, though it certainly hurt, but Harry was releasing his emotions. He was so upset to have disappointed Tom. Harry didn't even notice when the spanking had ended until he felt his pants pulled back over him. Tom lifted him up and then sat him back down onto Tom's lap. Harry hugged him tightly and Tom began petting his hair. 

"You're such a good boy, Harry," Tom cooed. "You did so well. Everything is okay."

"I-I'm sorry," Harry said, fighting back a hiccup. "I'm so sorry."

"Shh, I know, love. It's all forgotten, okay? Harry nodded and tried to make his crying stop. "I promise everything is okay. You and I are going to work together to get your grades back up." Harry nodded again. "Harry, say something, please."

Harry sniffed. "Promise you're not mad?"

Tom smiled. "I promise, love. All's forgiven and forgotten. Now let's get you calmed down so we can go back to the dorms." The pair were sat there for several minutes until Harry had recovered from the ordeal. He then went with Tom back to the common room to spend what little bit of the evening was left on studying. In the days and weeks that followed, Tom had Harry spending most of his time studying. It wasn’t lonely though, because Hermione was always down to study and Ron had a bit of catching up to do himself. With a lot of help from Tom and threat of further punishment, Harry was able to get his grades up in time for Winter Break and left feeling confident that he'd done well on his midterm examinations.

Upon boarding the train for the holiday, the first he would get to spend away from Hogwarts, he caught Tom discussing something in hushed tones with Fred and George. When Harry asked him about it, he was told it was all part of the plan to expose Peter, but that he couldn't be told much more, other than it that it would happen soon after break.

Break was just as nice as summer had been, with the added perks of Christmas. Hermione and Tom were even allowed to spend a few days with them. Harry felt for the first time in his life as though he had a real family, one he could feel safe and comfortable with. Harry seemed to be the only Weasley who was actually thrilled to receive a handmade coat for Christmas. It was perfect, with the exception of Tom know having to sleep in Fred and George's room, now that Molly and Arthur had caught wind of their relationship. But it was alright because Tom still snuck away at night to come give Harry a goodnight kiss. 

Upon their return to Hogwarts, Harry was still kept largely in the dark about the plan to expose Peter but Tom did let him know before hand the day it was to happen. It was a normal evening like any other, with everyone gathered in the Great Hall for dinner. Only Harry was on edge, waiting for the main event. Suddenly it began as Remus stood up quickly, clutching a large parchment that Harry realized must have been the Marauder's Map. Harry was surprised as Remus came marching over to their table, zeroing in on Ron, who was petting his pet rat. Remus snatched the rat from Ron, grasping it tightly.

"Hey! What gives?" Ron yelled as the room quieted, all eyes now on the scene before them. Harry was very confused. What did Ron's pet have to do with Peter?

"I'm sorry Ron, but I've just discovered something rather odd about your rat. It's not a rat at all? But rather none other than Peter Pettigrew, a man thought to be dead." Remus then held out the rat, holding it by its tail and flicked his wand. Suddenly, the rat transformed into a burly man. It was Peter Pettigrew.


	6. Chapter 6

It all happened very quickly after that. Peter was quickly apprehended by staff and the students were ushered out of the hall and into their dorms. Ron was distraught to learn that his rat had actually been Peter Pettigrew, an animagus who'd been in hiding as the pet rat for much longer than an average rat should live. Tom explained to them that he suspected Peter was the rat for awhile, but had to keep them all in the dark, to prevent Peter from overhearing something and deciding to run off. He had Remus 'confiscate' the map from Fred and George and then have him pretend to happen upon Peter in the Great Hall while examining the map. 

The very next day, Sirius came out of hiding and submitted to the Ministry for questioning. He was released only hours later and Peter was in Azkaban, awaiting trial. The news was ablaze in the days that followed. Much was written criticizing Dumbledore for keeping quiet and many were saying it was clear he chose to let Sirius sit in jail. Dumbledore faced his own Ministry questioning. He was released, but would be required to testify against Peter. 

Harry was allowed to meet Sirius for the first time that weekend, on a Hogsmeade trip. They met at the Three Broomsticks as his friends shopped around the town. They sipped on Butterbeers and chatted:

"It's so good to finally see you, Harry. I'm sure you hear this all the time but you really are the spitting image of your father. Except for your eyes, you-"

"Have my mother's eyes," Harry finished with a smile. "I get that a lot."

"I'm sure. I'm also sure you have plenty of questions for me. Ask away," Sirius offered.

"Did you know? About Peter?" Harry asked. 

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Did I know he was in Voldemort's pocket? No. He was never as close to me, though, or any of us really. We were friends, but Peter was the kind of friend who always wanted to be included but never wanted to reveal anything of his own self. Very guarded. If I had known, I can assure you things would have happened very differently."

Harry nodded. "Are you really going to be able to support Tom?"

Sirius sighed. "It is difficult, knowing he comes from the exact roots that Voldemort came from. But, he truly seems to be a completely different person. And what I know for sure is that I cannot support Dumbledore."

"Yeah, Dumbledore isn't who I thought he was," Harry agreed.

"If it makes you feel better, there are people much older, who should be much wiser, that have been tricked by Dumbledore. But, I think thanks to Tom, people may be starting to open their eyes."

"I hope so. Especially the Weasleys."

"Ah, Arthur and Molly are special. I'm sure they'll come around to his ways. Speaking of, I know you live with the Weasleys now, but, if you're ever interested, you're always welcome at my home."

Harry blushed. "Thanks."

Harry decided he rather liked Sirius. He met with him a few more times at Hogsmeade and made plans through the Weasleys to spend some of the summer holiday with him. Tom stayed on Harry throughout the rest of the year about his grades, not allowing him to slip, and he actually ended the year with rather high marks in all his classes, even Potions. Even better, Dumbledore's reputation continued to go down, as newspapers dug up all sorts of sordid activity from his past. Even the Weasley's were starting to question him.

Even better than getting to stay at Sirius' some over the summer, he was letting Harry spend a weekend at Tom's. The Weasley's would have lost it if they found out but Sirius said it was fine by him so long as Tom took good care of Harry. It was the first week of the summer, and Sirius and Harry had spent most of the week just goofing off. When the weekend came, Tom Floo'd over to pick up Harry.

"You take care of him and return him in one piece, alright? Molly will never let me see Harry if I get him into trouble," Sirius warned.

"No trouble," Tom assured. "It will just be Harry and I at the Manor, and a couple house elves. You ready, Harry?"

"Ready," Harry confirmed and they Floo'd together. They appeared inside a grand living room, decorated tastefully in darker and emerald tones. It screamed Tom. "Wow, Tom. This is really nice."

"Thank you. It really was nothing to see before. I had the whole place basically rebuilt," Tom explained. "Would you like to see the rest?"

"Please," Harry responded. Tom showed Harry the rest of his home and Harry remained very impressed. It was similar to what Harry imagined a family like the Malfoy's might inhabit, but very sleek. After the tour, Harry and Tom settled in the main room for tea and biscuits before retiring to bed. This was the first time that Harry and Tom would be able to share a bed. Harry was nervous. What if Tom wanted to have sex? Harry had thought about it, fantasized even. Did Tom?

Stripping down to his boxers was an entire ordeal. He and Tom undressed at the same time and Tom's eyes never left Harry. Harry couldn't help but do his own looking at Tom's smooth body. Once in bed, Harry made the first move, kissing him slowly but growing in intensity. Before Harry even processed his own movements, he had his hands on Tom's body, slowly moving downwards. Tom slowly pulled away.

"Ah, Harry, I did not bring you here to have sex," he explained. 

"But we could," Harry murmured.

"We could, but I do not think you're ready for that Harry. You're just 13."

"Almost 14," Harry snapped back.

Tom smirked. "Of course. Love, I have no problem with waiting. It will come in time, when you're a little older. For now, let's just enjoy each other's company." Tom pulled Harry onto him so that Harry's head was resting on his chest.

"Fine," Harry mumbled. "But just for the record...I am interested."

Tom chuckled. "As am I, love. We'll get there." Harry felt slightly dejected but also overwhelmingly relieved. He's been nervous and Tom was right, he wasn't sure he was ready. He definitely didn't think any of his friends were having sex yet. It could wait. "But Harry, you are getting older. And I would like to be able to bring you in a bit more on my various projects and would like to train you to be a proper leader of men, and follower of me."

"I want to be involved," Harry admitted. "I don't like feeling left out."

"I know, my pet. And I would like to remedy that. But you will need to uphold certain rules."

"Such as?" Harry said, sitting up so he could look at Tom. 

"First, I need you to work on your focus. You tend to drown people out with your own thoughts. This is not good when you need to be gathering information. You should always be looking for things that could be helpful to us, particularly when it comes to Dumbledore."

"Okay, I can do that," he agreed.

Tom smiled. "We shall see. Second, you need to be aware of how you present yourself. I expect you to act with dignity and respect. No mindless fighting and bickering with your peers. You need to remain kind, calm, and collected. Understand?" Harry nodded. "You also must be careful what you share with your friends. I understand you confide in them, but not everything is within their right to know. And, if I tell you specifically to keep something to yourself and find you've told your friends, I will be very displeased. Understood?"

"Yes, Tom," Harry agreed.

"One more thing, Harry. I have some books I want you to read. On something called BDSM and the relationships between Dominants and Submissives. Do you know any of these terms?"

Harry blushed and nodded. "I've seen them in muggle media before..." he hesitated for a long moment, grappling with what to say next, "That's kind of like our relationship, isn't it?"

Tom smiled. "Very much so, my smart Gryffindor. I consider myself to be a very dominant person, particularly in relationships, and I already consider you my submissive, which I'm sure you've gathered. I already hold you to a certain standard I expect you to uphold."

"I know," Harry responded. His cheeks were hot. He knew all this already but Tom had never so directly addressed. He knew it wasn't every relationship that one partner spanked the other for their disobedience.

"But, I've moved fairly slow with you, given your age. But as we've established, you're getting older. I'd like to establish a more proper dynamic. So, in addition to these added rules, and your research, I'd like for you to begin addressing me as 'sir' in a private setting." At this point, Harry thought he might explode from the flurry of different emotions he felt and he was sure his cheeks couldn't get any redder.

"All the time?"

"For the most part, yes, though I won't forbid you from calling me Tom. But you are never to use my name disrespectfully."

"Okay," Harry agreed.

"Okay, what?" Tom posed. Harry stared at his hands. "Don't be embarrassed, Harry. It's nothing to be embarrassed about. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but I'm sure you'll adjust. Now answer me."

"Okay...sir," Harry murmured.

"Again," Tom ordered.

"Okay, sir," Harry repeated with more confidence.

"Good boy. Now get some rest and in the morning, we'll discuss more." Harry nodded and went to bed that night eager to learn more about what Tom was up to.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thank you to anyone who left Kudos or comments! It’s super appreciated! Also just thank you to anyone reading!
> 
> And if anyone’s wondering, the flow of time might seem very fast but that’s intentional. I intend to take this pretty far out from just the Hogwarts years.

It would be that next day that Tom told Harry all about Horcruxes and how they contained pieces of Voldemort's soul and how the diary had been one, which is what allowed Tom to come back. But there were others, from when Voldemort was older. In order to keep him from coming back, they would all need to be destroyed. Tom said he knew where they all would be and he was slowly working on destroying them. He didn't want Harry anywhere near the finding of the Horcruxes, stating it could be quite dangerous. But he was willing to allow Harry to be there for the actual destruction. Apparently, he would need basilisk venom in order to destroy it, which meant a trip to the Chamber of Secrets once they were back at school. He intended to use the fangs from the—now dead—basilisk as the weapon of destruction.

There were also other things to be concerned about. What was left of Voldemort's body was still attempting to gain aid in returning to his full self. Tom was doing everything in his power to prevent this but he warned Harry that he was sure an attempt to restore himself would be coming. This was all beyond frightening to Harry but Tom carried himself with such a confidence that Harry couldn't help but be consoled by it. He put his trust in Tom that things would work out in their favor.

Another interesting thing that came from his weekend at Tom's was that he finally got to hear the new prophecy:

A boy, given a second chance at life,  
Shall be bonded eternally to the boy who could have stopped him.  
Vanquishing the evils which threaten to destroy them,  
Together, they shall usher in new practices and peace. 

"What if it's not actually about us?" Harry asked.

"Well, considering this prophecy was made on the night of my return, that seems unlikely, but I suppose that means our future is unknown," Tom mused.

"I think that's how I'm going to think of it, sir," Harry said, the term 'sir', still feeling unfamiliar. "Unknown."

"Why's that?" Tom asked.

Harry shrugged. "My future has always been unstable. It seems too good to be true."

"Harry Potter, I promise you I will do everything I can to give you the most stable and happy life," Tom declared.

Harry blushed. "Tom," he whispered.

"Hmm?"

Right there, in the living room of Tom's house, he let slip something he'd been feeling for awhile but hadn't consciously put together, "I love you."

Tom smiled wider than Harry had ever seen. "I love you," he repeated softly. "But I think you already knew that." Harry nodded and they came together on the couch to kiss softly. Harry was in love with none other than person Dumbledore would have him belief to be a ruthless killer. 

Following that weekend, Harry and Tom would not get another chance to see each other until the end of the summer, when he and Hermione again came to stay at the Weasley's. This was okay with Harry though, because it gave him time to practice the attributes he hoped Tom would come to be proud of. He tried to pay more attention to people and conversations, and began reading the news daily. He also got a head start on next years school readings, something Ron could not believe and he was sure Hermione would be exceedingly shocked and proud. He also still wrote to Tom daily until he and Tom were reunited and read through the books that Tom gave him, though only at night when he was sure no one would catch him. He couldn't believe how hot and bothered some of the things in those books made him feel. It wasn't uncommon during these nights for Harry to make his way to the restroom to relieve the tension that built. 

Still, Harry missed Tom and he didn't truly feel whole until they were together again. Once they were together and school was starting, all felt right in the world. He was confident he would have a good year, academically and otherwise. Upon his arrival to Hogwarts though, it seemed as though things were very different than he'd imagined. Not only had Remus been replaced by an Auror, Professor Moody, but Hogwarts was set to host the Triwizard Tournament, a competition between three schools: Hogwarts, Durmstrang, and Beauxbatons. Apparently the tournament consisted of three separate competitions, leading to a final winning student. Some past matches had resulted in death. Harry felt secure in the fact that you had to be 17 to compete and none of his friends made the requirement.

Of course, that didn't stop his friends from wanting to participate. Fred and George wanted to find a way to enter their name into the Goblet of Fire, which would be what ultimately selected the three participants. Thankfully, nothing they did seemed to work. On the day the participants were selected, everyone gathered into the Great Hall to watch. First, the student from Beauxbatons was selected. A piece of paper came flying out, to which Dumbledore swiftly caught and read. Some girl named Fleur was chosen. Next, came Durmstrang, in which none other than the famous Quidditch player, Viktor Krum, was selected, though it was rumored he was the only one from Durmstrang that was allowed to put their name in. Finally came Hogwarts and a boy named Cedric Diggory was chosen, a Hufflepuff. 

During the cheering, it almost went unnoticed that a fourth slip flew from the goblet. As it landed in Dumbledore's hands, the room grew deadly quiet. Dumbledore stared at the paper for a long moment before calling out,

"Harry Potter." Harry sat there, shocked. It wasn't until Tom started pushing on him that he realized he was supposed to stand. He slowly walked over to Dumbledore. The room stayed quiet. Harry felt completely lost, scared, and embarrassed. Everyone was swiftly sent to their dorms and Harry was brought to the Headmasters office, where the Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, and the leaders from the other school gathered around him.

"Harry, did you put your name into the goblet?" Dumbledore asked softly.

"No," Harry insisted quickly. "Absolutely not, sir."

"He can't compete," McGonagall insisted.

"He must," Dumbledore responded. "He was chosen."

"He is 14," Professor Karkaroff, the Durmstrang headmaster, argued. "He cannot. He would easily be slaughtered." Harry felt his whole mouth go dry. Slaughtered. 

"It is my decision," Dumbledore said firmly. "He will compete.

"Then Durmstrang will not," Karkaroff said resolutely.

"Neither will Fleur. Beauxbatons will not participate in such a barbaric display," Madame Maxine declared.

"Headmaster," Snape said. "Perhaps you should not act so rashly. Let us all take the night to consider possible solutions."

"I agree," McGonagall said.

"Very well," Dumbledore agreed, reluctantly. "We will reconvene tomorrow. Harry, you are free to go." Everyone looked at Harry once more and he shuffled out, quickly. When he made his way to the common room, it seemed as though everyone was waiting up for him. He quickly made his way over to his friends and to Tom.

"Harry! Come on, mate, you absolute genius," Fred exclaimed. "How'd you get your name in?"

"I didn't," Harry answered.

"What do you mean, you didn't?" Ron asked, seeming upset. "How else did your name get in?"

"I don't know," Harry shot back, "But I didn't put it in." The room went quiet.

"Yeah, alright," Ron answered, seeming unconvinced.

"Alright, everyone," George said, eyeing the crowd. "Nothing to see here. You heard the man. Move on." Slowly, the common room cleared, till it was just him and his friends left. Harry told them about what happened in the headmasters office. He noticed the smile on Tom's face.

"Do you know something about this?" He asked Tom.

"Just don't worry. You won't be competing. And the tides are about to change here at Hogwarts," Tom answered.

"Did you put Harry's name in?" Ron asked, appalled.

"Of course not, I'm not seventeen. I couldn't have gotten around that. However, I did catch word of this in advance. It seems there was a plan in motion by Voldemort to capture Harry in the games, and use him to come back to life. However, he has underestimated the amount of support I have gained and I've been able to turn the tables."

Harry was relieved that Tom seemed to have a plan. He would not be competing. However, he was now very angry at Tom. What was the point in Harry working to be exactly what Tom needed if in return Tom was still hiding things from him?


	8. Chapter 8

In the days that followed, no one could have imagined what ensued. As the Ministry and the news got wind of what had happened, rumors flew that Dumbledore had been the one to put Harry's name into the goblet and that he was obsessed with Harry, refusing to allow him a normal life. Harry was interviewed by both the Minister of Magic and the Daily Prophet, both of whom he told he absolutely did not put his name in the goblet and had no interest in competing.

As investigations into Dumbledore were underway, it was unearthed by none other than Snape that one of the professors at Hogwarts was not what he seemed. Professor Moody had been replaced by an imposter, a Death Eater who wanted to help Voldemort come back and kill Harry. The real Moody was found shrunken and locked away in a chest in the Professor's office.

This was apparently the final straw. Dumbledore lost his position as Headmaster and Professor McGonagall was swiftly moved to the position of Headmistress. Harry was not to compete in the Triwizard Tournament but otherwise, the games would continue as planned. The fake Professor Moody was brought to Azkaban, and Lupin was brought back to finish the year, as the real Moody required a long stay in St. Mungo's to be fully restored.

Dumbledore's career and reputation were in complete ruins. Harry knew he should be thrilled by this turn of events and proud of Tom, because he knew this had all be orchestrated by him. But, he was still mad at Tom for keeping it all from him and this feeling did not subside as days passed. He moped around and was quite sullen, though he never expressly told Tom he was upset. Finally, it all came to a head one evening when Tom had summoned him to the Room of Requirement and they were sitting on their couch together. Harry had made some sort of snide remark in response to something Tom had said. Tom's facial expressions shifted to one of anger and confusion. He addressed Harry very sternly,

"Harry Potter, if you do not tell me right this instance what has gotten into you these past few days and caused this attitude, I will put you over my knee and spank it right out of you."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Tom," Harry spat, knowing the use of his name in such a tone would do nothing but anger Tom further.

"Alright, that's quite enough," Tom responded evenly. He grabbed Harry and swiftly Harry found himself over his knee.

"Hey, stop it! Hey!" Harry exclaimed as he fought against Tom, who was pulling down his trousers.

"Absolutely not," was Tom's response. "You have been pouting and rude for days and it's unacceptable. I didn't realize this was a lesson I needed to teach." It was then that the assault on Harry's bottom began. "If you have a problem or are upset with me or even just in general, you come and you talk to me. You do not bottle up your emotions and behave as a child with an attitude problem. I have been waiting for days for you to tell me what's wrong." Harry began to silently cry as the spanks rained down on him. He let out the emotions he'd been holding inside and as Tom spoke, he felt silly for his behavior. Suddenly, Tom stopped. "Are you ready to tell me?"

"Yes," Harry wailed. Tom hit him once, firmly. Harry yelled as Tom asked,

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, sir," Harry exclaimed. "Yes, sir! I'm sorry!" Harry started to try and push himself up but Tom placed a hand over his back.

"No, I think you can stay right where you are for now. Now, talk. What's got you so upset?" Red faced, embarrassed, and with tears still falling from his face, Harry muttered,

"You didn't tell me about the Goblet of Fire or Voldemort or your plans or anything. You just left me in the dark."

"Ah," Tom responded. "I understand now." It was then that he put Harry's bottoms back on and helped him into a sitting position on his lap. He took a moment to use his thumbs to wipe at Harry's tears and give him a kiss on the forehead before speaking again. "Harry, I did not mean to offend you by leaving you out. I just knew that it was important for your reactions to be genuine and I worried that it might have seemed fake if I told you too much about what was going on."

"But you could have told me something," Harry argued. "Anything. I was so scared and confused." Tom pulled Harry in for a hug.

"I'm sorry, love. You're right. I shouldn't have left you so unprepared. Love, please in the future just come and talk with me. I don't want you walking around holding all all your emotions like that. It's not healthy and I'm sure it's not enjoyable."

Harry had to agree with that. "Yes, sir."

"Good boy. Are we okay now?" Harry nodded. "Good. Because if you're ready to listen, I have more plans to tell you about."

It was then that Tom told Harry that the need to find and destroy the Horcruxes was greater than ever. With Voldemort constantly trying to come back to life, getting rid of the Horcruxes and then finally killing whatever remained of Voldemort was the only way to fully be rid of him and it needed to happen as quickly as possible. Tom would use the Winter Break to gather up the Horcruxes, except for one that resides at Hogwarts, a diadem, which Tom was now prepared to destroy. He had gathered the necessary fangs from the basilisk. He invited Harry to come back to the Room of Requirement that next day and watch as it was destroyed.

When he came to the Room of Requirement that day, he was surprised it did not transform into their usual cozy room. Instead, it was a very large and very cluttered room, filled with nearly everything you might imagine.

"Tom, what is this?" Harry asked.

"A place people come to hide things," Tom responded. "Follow me." Harry followed Tom until they came to a small table. Tom picked up a box and opened it, revealing a small tiara. Harry felt his scar tinge. "This is the Horcrux. The lost diadem of Ravenclaw. Harry, this is a very dark object. When I stab it, something will come out of it. It may be very frightening but I assure you it will dissipate. Just be ready." Harry swallowed hard and nodded. Tom pulled out a large and sharp tooth that Harry recognized as that of a basilisk. With very little hesitation, Tom stabbed swiftly at the diadem.

Suddenly, Harry was knocked to the ground by a dark cloud. His scar suddenly felt as though it was on fire. "Ah!" He cried out. He squeezed his eyes shut so as to not see what was unfolding but his mind suddenly felt like it was being attacked, harder than he'd though possible. He was able to push the intruder out, but not before an imagine of a grotesque, human-like creature shot through his mind. Voldemort.

As the pain subsided, Harry laid on the floor, his eyes still closed. He heard someone come over to him and a hand placed gently on his arm. Tom. "Harry, Harry, are you okay? It's over." Slowly, Harry opened his eyes and sat up. It seemed as though many things had been knocked over.

"I-I'm okay," Harry answered. "It attacked my mind. And made my scar burn. Bad."

"Did it? Harry, I'm sorry. I didn't imagine it would affect you so much. This is very interesting. Very, very interesting."


	9. Chapter 9

With McGonagall as the new Headmistress of Hogwarts, the rest of the year went off without a hitch. Harry was able to safely watch the Triwizard Tournament from the stands, not as a participant. Harry was also able to attend his first dance, the Yule Ball, where he was able to dance with Tom for the first time. They were the only openly gay couple there but Harry didn't care at all. After some pressure from Harry and Tom, Ron asked Hermione to the dance and they went together. Professor Lupin did not have a date and he wondered if Lupin had ever dated anyone at all. He also often wondered if he had feelings for Sirius, but he didn't feel it was polite to ask. 

Following the break for Christmas, in which Remus and Sirius spent the holiday with the Weasley's and Harry, Harry was eager to hear from Tom about his luck in destroying horcruxes. Harry had a feeling that he'd been successful in destroying many of them because several times during the break, Harry was overcome by an intense burning in his scar.

The first night back at Hogwarts, he was able to sneak away to the Room of Requirement and meet Tom. Tom had a lot to fill him in on. Namely, that now six Horcurxes had been destroyed.

"That leaves just two," Tom said to Harry.

Harry's brow furrowed. "Two? I thought there were seven."

"I thought so too, but now I believe that he accidentally created an eighth," Tom explained. "Harry, I believe you're that Horcrux."

"What?" Harry demanded. "That's crazy. Me?"

Tom nodded. "Yes, Harry, you. That's why you're so connected to him and why you you're so intensely affected by the Horcurxes." Harry took a moment to let that sink in. That meant that some of Voldemort's soul lived inside of him. 

"What do we do?" He asked.

"We do nothing. We destroy the others and that's the end of it," Tom said simply.

"But a piece of him will live on in me," Harry exclaimed.

"Yes, and will die with you, one day, when you are very, very old, Harry. I will not do anything to risk your life."

"But, Tom-" Tom cut him off,

"No. Absolutely not and that's the end of it. Now, do you want to argue or do you want to hear about the other Horcrux?"

Harry sighed. "The other Horcrux, sir."

"It is a snake, by the name of Nagini. My sources tell me that Voldemort has taken to inhabiting the snake fulltime now, likely because he has no other host options and also, he is likely aware of what I've been doing, just as you felt it. He likely wants to keep her with him all the time and inhabiting her allows him to take on a more stable life form while also keeping her with him."

"So what are you going to do?" Harry asked.

"Voldemort underestimates the amount of his supporters that have turned on him to support me. I plan to have one of his 'supporters' apparate into a public place, where he will then be destroyed, by me. I plan to force him out of the snake and kill both him and the snake. It will earn me the favor I need in the media to take over. It will happen this summer. Once this happens, I will begin my takeover of the Ministry. I'm afraid this also means that this will be my last year at Hogwarts. After Voldemort has been killed, it will be revealed that I have been Tom Riddle all along. With any luck, I will take over the Ministry by the end of this calendar year."

"But, sir," Harry said. "That all sounds great, but Voldemort is still dangerous. That could go horribly wrong."

"It won't, my pet. He is very weak and will stay that way. It will be easy to destroy him."

"But he could come back. Because of me. It would always be possible," Harry argued.

"There will be no one left alive who would dare attempt such a thing," Tom argued back. "Now hush with that. I have already made my decision."

Harry dropped it, but it left him feeling very uneasy. His worst nightmare was that Voldemort would come back. And he didn't care if he would be alive or dead, he never wanted that to happen. He agonized for weeks over what to do, and finally he did something that scared him, but was necessary. He lied to Tom, telling him he was going to Quidditch practice early, and really met privately with Snape, in his office.

He told Snape about the connection and the Horcrux and then he asked Snape to promise himself one thing that without context, seemed absurd,

"That's why, if it ever seems like Voldemort could be coming back, like I might be used to bring him back, I need you to kill me."

"The Dark Lord does not know you are here," Snape stated, sitting back in his chair.

"No," Harry confirmed. "He would be very angry if he knew."

"Perhaps that is indication that you should not be here. What makes you think I am the perfect candidate for this task?" Snape asked. Harry explained,

"You're the only one I know who would actually go through with it."

"So you think me a heartless killer?" He drawled.

"No," Harry countered. "I think you a sensible man who would be able to see reason. The others either care too much for me or would be too afraid of Tom's wrath."

"And you think I do not fear Tom? You have sentenced me to death if I were to agree to this." Harry nodded, because he knew that was likely true.

"Yes, but the alternative would be much worse for many more people," Harry argued calmly.

"Very Gryffindor of you, to chose the many over the few," Snape mused. "As it stands, if what you've said is true, I agree you pose a great threat."

"So you would do it?" Harry asked, hopeful.

"Should the need ever truest arise, and should I have the opportunity, yes, I will, Potter." Harry felt a weight lift off his shoulders.

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said, truly thankful and relieved. "I have to go now. Tom can never know I was here."

"Agreed."

Harry was able to make it to Quidditch practice and he was sure Tom was none the wiser. It seemed odd to be happy about such a thing. But, it comforted him knowing he had someone who would try and stop Voldemort from ever using Harry in that way. Harry was able to navigate the rest of the year with at least that bit of a peace of mind. However, as summer drew closer, he was filled with an intense anxiety over what was to come. Tom would soon be making his move to kill what remained of Voldemort. It would be dangerous and public and Harry only hoped he could be there to be of some help, somehow. He knew Tom wouldn't want him to have any part of it but he wasn't going to leave Tom to fend off Nagini and Voldemort alone. Absolutely not.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning that this chapter is sexual. Skip if that’s not your thing.

Before anything with Voldemort would come to a head, Harry would face something he was perhaps even more anxious over: Sex with Tom. He had made up his mind that he was ready and wanted to have sex. Doing so, however, was an entirely different matter. He knew he would have the alone time with Tom to do it. He was once again spending some time with Sirius and was therefore allowed to spend a few days alone with Tom. However, initiating such an act was something that none of his Gryffindor bravery prepared him for.

It was the first night at Tom's that Harry tried to make his move. He wasn't sure how one instigated such a thing and his only references were from muggle media. He started out with slowly kissing Tom. A more passionate and deeper kiss than usual. Then he put his hands on Tom. One on Tom's soft hair and another onto Tom's chest, gently caressing him. He slowly starting moving his hand down Tom's chest, until he was at the start of his thigh. Harry was working up the courage to move his hand to his desired location when suddenly Tom pulled away from Harry's lips, and chuckled. Harry was sure this wasn't a good sign. People who laughed weren't aroused, were they?

"Harry, love, are you trying to tell me something?" Tom placed a hand on Harry's blushing cheeks. "If you're ready to have sex, love, all you have to do is say so. I'll take it from there."

"I'm ready, sir," Harry confirmed, barely able to keep eye contact. Tom smirked and, after a quick kiss, ordered,

"Follow me." Tom then led him upstairs to his bedroom where he promptly ordered, "Strip for me, love, I want you naked." Harry blushed again but did as he was told and started to strip out of his clothes. He asked,

"Are you going to be naked too?"

Tom smirked. "Not always, love. But for you, for your first time, yes, I'll get naked." It was then that Tom joined him in taking of his clothes, revealing his smooth chest first and then the bottom half off his body. Harry physically gulped when he saw Tom's cock. He wasn't sure how that was going to fit inside of him. 

"Good to see you're already excited," Tom commented and Harry was sure his face revealed exactly how that made him feel. "Now Harry, it's very important that you have a safe word. If at any point, you want to stop, all you have to say is 'red'. Understood?" Harry nodded. "Good. On your knees, love. We're going to put your mouth to work first." Harry did as he was told, though he was incredibly nervous for what was about to happen. "Now, don't worry, Harry. This isn't particularly difficult. Take it in your mouth, slowly at first and then faster as you get used to it. Up and down."

Harry did as instructed, taking Tom's cock into his mouth, very slowly at first. He went as far as he could and then back down. Again and again. Soon, he picked up a rhythm. He noticed Tom's reaction to what he was doing, as his body stiffened at certain moments. Harry was having fun, knowing he was effecting Tom in that way. It filled him with pride. Growing in courage, he tried out some movements with his tongue that he'd read about. 

Tom gasped. "Fuck, pet, where did you learn that?" He then groaned and Harry felt immensely satisfied with himself. He was also incredibly turned on, his own arousal building and becoming more pressing in his mind. Soon, Tom put his hand in Harry's hair and pulled him away firmly. "Stop, or I'm going to cum in your mouth and I don't want that right now. Up on the bed, pet. On your knees, ass up, face down to the bed."

Harry quickly followed his instructions and got up on the bed. Suddenly he was nervous about...other things. "Sir, don't I need to be...prepped?"

Tom came up behind him. "Yes, love, but there are spells for that, which you should learn. For now, I will take care of it." Soon, Harry felt himself emptied and his hole considerably wetter. Suddenly there was a hand on his bottom. "Okay, love, we're going to start with a finger, though you should be lose enough now." Tom's hand was suddenly at his hole and he felt his cool finger against him. Slowly, it pushed into him. Harry gasped. It felt different from anything he'd experienced. It didn't hurt, though, just very foreign. "Good?" Tom asked.

"Good, sir," Harry responded. Tom began to move the finger, pushing further into him and then back again. Over and over. Harry's arousal grew quickly.

"Okay, love, I'm going to add another," Tom told and Harry soon felt another finger pushing into him. This one was a bit more uncomfortable but Tom took it slow. When Harry was comfortable with the two fingers inside of him, Tom added a third. This took longer for Harry to adjust. But he did and it started to feel good. "Love, it's time," Tom told him and removed his fingers. Harry felt empty. But not for long. 

Harry felt Tom's hard dick against his ass. He then felt the tip against his hole. "Relax," Tom directed. "Don't tense." Harry did as he was told as Tom began to push into him. It was hard but Harry tried to focus on his breathing. It was much more uncomfortable than the fingers. Once Tom was in, he stayed still for several moments, letting Harry adjust. Then, he began to move. At first, it was very slow. Harry began to adjust and enjoy the pleasure, and soon he was craving more. He even let out an uncontrolled moan.

"Sir, please," he murmured.

"What, my love?" Tom asked, though Harry sensed a teasing undertone.

"Go faster," Harry pleaded.

"Ah, my pleasure, pet." Tom quickly sped up and soon Harry was being fucked hard and fast. Harry's arousal quickly built and it wasn't long until he released onto the bed, a loud moan accompanying. He felt Tom's seed flow into him soon after. Harry collapsed onto the bed and Tom joined him, using a cleaning spell to cast away the mess.

"Sir," Harry said, breathing heavily and moving to cuddle up to Tom. "That was amazing."

"It was," Tom agreed. "I'm glad you enjoyed your first time. The next times will be a bit different. I intend to train you not to cum without permission."

"Yes, sir," was Harry's only response. In his mind though, he thought that sounded incredibly hot. They cuddled for a bit longer and soon fell asleep for the night.

Now that Harry had a taste of sex, he wanted more. The rest of his days with Tom were fairly sex filled. Tom began training him a bit on controlling when he came and asking for permission. The first attempt at it was unsuccessful. Harry was disappointed in himself but Tom was understanding. However, he did inform Harry that if this issue persisted, he would punish Harry. Thankfully, Harry seemed to get the hang of it quickly and at least for now, Tom was generous in always allowing Harry to cum, though he eluded that he might not always be so giving. When his days with Tom came to an end and it was time to return to Sirius, he was quite disappointed to be sexless, likely for the rest of the summer, but he was quite proud and happy with the days that he'd had.


	11. Chapter 11

When the plan to trick Voldemort out into public was all arranged, Tom let Harry know when it was to happen, specifically so that Harry would know when to stay away from Diagonal Alley. But Harry had other plans. Harry wasn't convinced that it would all be as simple as Tom made it seem and he wanted to be there to have his back. So, he told Hermione and Ron all about what to go down and they arranged, with Molly's permission, to visit Diagonal Alley on that day. As far as Molly knew, they would be spending a day out looking at shops and having a perfectly normal day. On that day, the three Floo'd to Diagonal Alley and found a place in the center of the Alley to sit and watch. 

"Harry, surely Tom must know that Voldemort likely won't come alone. The second someone apparates away with him, other Death Eaters are likely to try and go after them," Hermione reasoned.

"I know," Harry responded. "And that's exactly why he's going to need help. Not to mention, it puts everyone else in danger."

"But you know, Harry," Ron started. "If he didn't want us here, he's going to be pissed when he realizes we are."

"And I still think we should have just told Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and let them handle this," Hermione added. 

"We can't," Harry argued. "They don't even support Tom yet. They might not have done anything but report it to the Ministry and cause chaos. But guys, maybe you should go. I really don't want you in trouble or hurt." Ron shook his head and Hermione rolled her eyes and said,

"Harry, we're a team. Oh-oh, Harry there he is." Hermione pointed and sure enough, there stood Tom Riddle, in all his glory, with no glamours. At first, no one seemed to notice him. But then slowly, people realized who was standing there, and people quickly dispersed in terror. The movement of the crowd completely compromised their position. Tom quickly saw them. Harry had never seen him look so angry. He took a step towards them and they stood but it was all too late for Tom to get rid of them. There was a bang and suddenly the alley was filled with several dark dressed wizards, in Death Eater masks, and one very large snake. Harry's scar throbbed. Voldemort.

Quickly, Tom cast a spell that knocked the three of them off to the side and in an instance, he was engaged in battle with several Death Eaters at once. Harry started to go to his aid, but noticed two things at once. First, Tom was clearly much more powerful than the Death Eaters he was battling. Second, the snake was making its way away from the scene.

"He's getting away!" Harry yelled to his friends and they set out after the snake. He heard Tom yell for him but he trudged on, the three of them launching spells at the snake as they ran towards it. Suddenly, the snake turned on them, abandoning its path and making its way towards them. 

"Harry Potter," the snake said in Parseltongue. "Just as brave and naive as ever. Come, be my latest meal. I'm hungry."

The three of them soon found themselves backed into a corner, as all of their spells seemed to do little to deter the snake.

"Harry," Ron wailed. "What do we do?"

"Run?" Hermione suggested. As Harry was considering their limited options and still trying to deter the snake with useless spells, he knew he only had seconds to either run or be attacked. For a moment, he considered offering himself up to the snake, to let his friends get away. But it was then that he felt something heavy appear in his hand. He looked down to see the familiar shine of something he'd held once before. He had not used it then to defeat that version of Voldemort but now, he would have to. With a loud grunt, he ran towards the snake and in one dangerous and swift motion, he swung the sword at the snake as it lunges towards him, slicing cleanly through him. As the pieces of the snake fell to the ground, Harry was knocked back by a dark cloud escaping snake. His scar burned once more, and the darkness took on the shape of a face he recognized as Voldemort, but it quickly disappeared. 

It wasn't long before Harry, Ron, and Hermione were surrounded by clicking cameras and many others. But Harry quickly remembered Tom and ran towards him, only to find several Death Eaters lined up in chains, defeated. Tom looked completely unharmed. He looked to Harry and looked extremely relieved.

"Are you okay?" He asked Harry and Harry nodded. "Good. You and I will talk later. For now, shake my hand for the camera." Harry quickly did as he asked and felt the bright flashes of light on his skin. As soon as Harry's hand released, Tom Apparated away. Soon after, in the midst of the media swarm, and the Ministry's arrival, Molly and Arthur were called to the scene and were allowed to take them away. To say Molly was furious was an understatement. She quickly put together the connection between their friend Tom and Tom Riddle and soon it was outed about all the children's involvement with Tom's movement. Molly spent what felt like hours grilling and yelling at them all. 

The end of the yelling came from the arrival of none other than Tom Riddle at the door of the Burrow. "Just what are you doing here?" Molly demanded.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley, but I really need a few moments alone with Harry here," Tom explained. Harry gulped. He wasn't sure he wanted that right now.

"And why on earth would I allow such a thing?" 

"Because Molly, despite what you may believe, I would never have called Harry or any of your children to Diagon Alley and I need to have a few words with Mr. Potter about the importance of his safety," Tom explained, eyeing Harry. Harry's cheeks went red.

"I'll be having a word with you first," Molly insisted.

"Of course," Tom agreed and the two went outside, Mr. Weasley following, leaving the group alone.

"Harry, Tom is going to murder you," Ron said, absolutely. Harry nodded, because he knew he was in deep trouble. He was quite sure his ass was literally on the line.

"Maybe Mrs. Weasley won't let him speak with you," Hermione offered. But soon the three returned and the first thing Mrs. Weasley said was,

"Harry, show Tom to your room."

"It was nice knowing you," Fred called as Harry slowly stood and led Tom up the stairs. Tom and Harry stayed silent Harry walked him up the stairs and into the room he shared with Ron. Harry swallowed hard as Tom shut the door and cast a silencing spell around the room. Harry knew he was in for it.


	12. Chapter 12

Tom's entire face darkened with anger as he faced Harry. They stood there silently for a long moment. Finally, Harry broke the silence,

"Sir, I'm sorry."

Tom shook his head. "You absolutely are not, Harry. If you were sorry, or had even properly thought through this for one moment, you would have stayed home today."

"I wanted to protect you," Harry defended. Tom's face softened, only slightly.

"Harry, I do not need your protection. I am older, and much more experienced than you are in both the Dark Arts and defending against them. I gave you a direct order, and you defied me. Not only that, but you put yourself in danger. I take your safety very seriously Harry James. I will not have you randomly deciding to disregard your safety. Clearly, you need someone to help you get it through your head that your own safety and life are important. Take off your trousers and underwear." Harry squirmed and hesitated. "Now, Harry. My patience is very thin." 

Harry then quickly followed his instruction. It was then that Tom came over to him and helped position him with his hands against the wall and his ass jutted out. Harry watched out of the corner of his eye as Tom took off his belt.

"Sir, please," Harry pleaded, knowing it was futile.

"Hush. Now, let your lesson begin." Harry felt the first thump against his bare skin. He gasped. It was much more intense than Tom's hand. Then another came. And another. "Harry Potter, when I give you an order, do you think I do so simply for the fun of doing so?"

"No, sir," Harry let out as the belt continued to come down on his backside.

"Precisely. When I give you an order, I expect it to be followed, is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," Harry exclaimed, as tears sprung to his eyes.

"Good. Now, Harry, I understand that you have been put in many dangerous situations in your life, but that is over now. I will not have you seeking out danger. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," Harry wailed, the tears now flowing free.

"Good boy. You will do well to remember that there are many people who care about you and it is selfish to put yourself and others in danger without thought. Understood?"

"Yesssir," he mumbled. It was then that the tirade on his bottom came to a slow stop. Harry stood there, crying, as Tom came over to him and pulled up his boxers and pants. Tom then gently lead Harry over to his bed where Tom sat and pulled Harry onto his lap. Harry hissed at the feeling of his bum on Tom's lap but was grateful for the comfort. Harry hadn't realized how much Tom cared for his safety. Tom wiped the tears from his eyes and kissed him softly.

"I love you so very much, Harry. Do you realize that?" Tom murmured softly.

Harry nodded. "I love you, Tom." Harry knew that in hindsight, the decision to simply just show up and fight was likely ill conceived. But he knew if he had to do it again, he still would have found away to add protection to Tom. Tom's safety was just as important to Harry as his appeared to be to Tom. "Did I mess things up, sir? With the news and everything?"

Tom shook his head. "No, I believe the media is going to spin us as some sort of crime fighting duo, able to banish Voldemort and defeat Death Eaters when the Ministry could not. Keep an eye on the news over the next few weeks. Many things will be changing."

Harry nodded. "Sir, when will I see you again? Now that you won't be at school?" 

"I will still come visit you at the Room of Requirement, love."

"Every night?" Harry asked hopefully. 

Tom smiled. "No, not every night. But often, love, I promise you that."

"Don't forget about me now that you're going to be an all important minister," Harry teased, though there was a seriousness to his tone. It would be hard for Harry to be apart so much from Tom.

"Never, love," Tom promised. "Now, I'm afraid I must go. I've got an interview with the Prophet to attend." He kissed Harry and then the pair stood. "See me out?" Harry nodded and led him back downstairs, where the others were still gathered. "Mrs. Weasley, thank you. I'll be going now." He then kissed Harry shortly once more. "Goodbye, love."

Over the next few weeks, Tom was right that the media storm surrounding the vents that had transpired was fierce. Tom did an interview for the Prophet and various news sources turned up at the Burrow, attempting to interview Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Molly would not allow this, of course. Harry couldn't believe it was possible for him to be even more famous than before. Even as summer drew to a close, reporters continued to attempt to reach Harry. School shopping in Diagon Alley proved to be an ordeal.

Also, news continued to surface that painted the Ministry, and the Minister in particular, in a very negative light. Likewise, Tom Riddle was being painted a saint. The minister soon resigned and the Wizengamot was left to quickly select a temporary replacement. In the shock of a century, the youngest Minister in history was chosen, none other than Tom Riddle himself. Harry's as not sure how much of the Wizengamot voted for Tom of their own free will and how many were under magical influence but he was sure magic must have played a part.

Returning to school, the atmosphere around Harry had changed. It reminded him of when he first came to Hogwarts, and everyone stared at him in awe. It would take a few weeks before school started to feel normal again. Curriculum had also changed. All those from wizarding families were required to take Muggle Studies and all muggleborns or wizards and witches who'd been raised in muggle families were required to take a new course called Wizarding Etiquette. This included Harry but he actually didn't mind it. Even though he'd gotten to know the Wizarding World much better since living with the Weasley's, there were still gaps in his knowledge.

The first year of being at Hogwarts without Tom was a hard transition, though. He was used to having Tom around constantly to help him with his studies and keep him company. However, it ended up being a positive for Harry as he was able to gain a closer friendship with most of his friends, including Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood. It was a year of change, adjustment, but overall peace.

It was not all sunshine, though. The defeat of what had remained of Voldemort came as a big blow to the Death Eater community. What's more, any found to have still had connection with Voldemort were being slowly found and carted off to Azkaban. This created push back from Death Eaters. Random attacks increased. Security at the school eventually had to be raised as attempts to penetrate the school were made. A group of rouge Slytherin's were caught vandalizing the grounds with the words 'Mudbloods Die'. However, incidents were few and far between at Hogwarts and there was largely peace that year. It was one of Harry's best years at Hogwarts.


End file.
